WRSE Ecophiles

•July 2010: "How Green Is Your Garden?"

•June 2010: “The Corrib Classic 5K Race Went Green This Year”

•May 2010: "What BPS Students Are Learning about the Environment"

•April 2010: “Celebrate Earth Day 2010 Locally”

•March 2010: “ReadBoston Goes Green for Literacy ”

•February 2010: "West Roxbury Teachers and Students on a Green Mission"

•January 2010: “The Benefits of Reusing Are Written in Stone and Available in West Roxbury ”

•December 2009: “Go Green This Holiday Season and Save Money”

•November 2009: “Winterizing Tips for Your Home”

•October 2009: “Businesses Can Go Green to Save Green”

•September 2009: “Save $$, Go Green with Free Home Energy Audits”

•August 2009: “A Green Gary's Liquors Means Green Savings”

How Green Is Your Garden?

By Rickie Harvey
As published in The West Roxbury Transcript
Thursday, July 15, 2010

Saving energy and saving money moves outdoors in the summer months, of course, and with the recent heat, it seems timely to think about water conservation and other smart choices for tending your lawn and garden.

Consider conserving water this summer by watering your lawn only in the early morning (to avoid high rates of mid-day evaporation) and not relying on automated sprinklers, which have been shown to use 20 to 30 percent more water than handheld hoses. If you must use automated systems, be sure to install a rain or soil moisture sensor that turns off the water when it isn't needed. Avoid watering when it is raining or in the heat of the middle of the day.

You actually shouldn’t worry if your grass turns brown—grass naturally becomes dormant in hot, dry weather. The lawn will revive when the temperatures turn cooler or after a steady rain.

The kinds of flowers and plants you choose also can affect the amount of water you need and how efficiently you use it. Plant low-water use varieties and mulch to keep the roots cool and moist. Try to cluster together plants that need lots of moisture for efficient watering. It helps to pay attention to the various zones in your yard—where it is sunniest/hottest versus shadier and cooler. Select plants that thrive in these areas accordingly. One easy way to prevent runoff, which wastes water, is to poke holes in the ground around plants and flowers to help capture water.

The best way to water plants and flowers is at ground level, through a soaker hose, in a process called drip irrigation. Sprinklers deliver as much as 400 gallons per hour, which is more than the soil can absorb before runoff and evaporation occur. In addition, the water doesn’t penetrate deep enough to moisten the roots. Drip irrigation delivers water slowly and in the right amount, with no evaporation or runoff. It also discourages weeds by not watering where you have no plants.

Soaker hoses use between 30 and 50 percent less water than sprinklers, so they save you money as well as conserve water. Available at True Value on Centre Street, soaker hoses are perforated with thousands of tiny holes out of which water seeps slowly. You can place soaker hoses along the top of the ground or bury them just unde the soil or mulch. Compare different kinds of soaker hoses by their ratings, which indicate how many gallons of water per hour per foot each one releases.

You can also employ large containers and rain barrels to capture rain from your downspouts to use in your garden. Be sure to discourage mosquito breeding by covering the tops of open containers with a mesh fabric or by dripping a bit of baby oil onto the surface of the water.

Another good way to save energy (and money) is to use a hand-push lawn mower. Not only will you get great exercise, you help the environment by not consuming gas or electricity. And if you are concerned about your household carbon footprint (how much you contribute to the greenhouse gases that cause climate change), remember that gas mowers put significant carbon emissions into the air. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, traditional gas-powered lawn mowers’ emissions are responsible for as much as 5 percent of the nation’s total air pollution.

Project Evergreen (projectevergreen.com) lists composting as one of the five easiest ways to improve your lawn and garden. Not only does composting enrich your soil, it cuts down on your trash, which helps the environment by not ending up in landfills. All kinds of items can regenerate your soil, including coffee grounds, filters, and dryer lint when combined with yard clippings, wood chips, and leaves. According to Project Evergreen, “The breakdown of these materials creates humus, which is a nutrient-filled material, helping the soil to retain moisture. Compost can also cut down on plant disease and repel pests that are damaging to your yard.”

Think about cultivating your “green” thumb this summer by following some of these tips; with smart planning, you can conserve water and have a beautiful yard.

The Corrib Classic 5K Race Went Green This Year

By City Councilor John Connolly
As published in The West Roxbury Transcript
Thursday, June 17, 2010

Every year, thousands of people participate in the annual Corrib Classic 5k Race, and even more join for the post-run celebration. While it is terrific to see so many members of the community come out to support local organizations and charities in West Roxbury, it also means a lot of empty plastic bottles and other containers.

Previously, these materials were simply thrown into the trash. That is why this year, my office joined together with the Corrib Charitable Trust Board of Directors, West Roxbury Saves Energy and Save that Stuff to turn this event green. By the end of the event, we were able to recycle a quarter ton of material.

Every time we recycle, we create jobs, save energy, preserve our natural resources and save money by keeping recyclables out of our landfills. Our effort at the Corrib Road Race is just one example of what we can do as a community to live more environmentally and economically sustainable lives. The challenges facing the health of our environment and the future of our businesses are mounting. Energy costs continue to rise, and mankind’s impact on the environment has become increasingly evident. Recycling is an important piece in an overall sustainability strategy that I believe Boston must adopt in order to remain a vibrant and healthy community.

As chairman of Boston City Council’s Committee on Environment and Health, I recently called for a hearing to explore placing street-side recycling receptacles throughout Boston in order to encourage people who are “on the go” to recycle. Collecting one-quarter ton of recyclable material at the Corrib Road Race shows that Boston residents know the benefit of recycling and are excited about participating. The more we recycle, the less waste we add to our landfills, and the more money the city is able to save.

Recycling at the Corrib Road Race is just another example of West Roxbury’s commitment to sustainability. Back in 2008, as a part of Mayor Menino’s effort to improve citywide recycling, West Roxbury began to participate in “single-stream recycling.” This program streamlined the recycling process, making it easier for households to recycle by allowing them to place all of their recycled material into one bin. Such a simple and easy change led to a drastic increase in the amount of material recycled in West Roxbury and throughout the city of Boston. Organizations like West Roxbury Saves Energy advocate for all of us to make small changes in our everyday lives, because together we can make a significant impact on the world around us.

The annual Corrib Road Race is the perfect example of what it means to live in a community that takes care of each other. Since this event began 17 years ago, it has raised more than $740,000 for the Corrib Charitable Trust. This fund donates money to a variety of local organizations, impacting the lives of countless West Roxbury residents. The hard work and dedication of this organization is remarkable. I am honored to have worked with them. Seeing thousands of my friends and neighbors come together to support this fund and the West Roxbury community was extremely humbling as well as encouraging. I am confident that as we continue to work together, Boston will remain a leader in the sustainability movement.

What BPS Students Are Learning about the Environment

By Madden Kilgannon
As published in The West Roxbury Transcript
Thursday, May 20, 2010

Recognizing that saving energy and saving money should be important to everyone in the community, West Roxbury Saves Energy touched base with Madden Kilgannon, an eighth-grader from West Roxbury, for a student’s perspective.

WRSE: As a teenager and student, why do you think environmental issues are important?

MK: The damage that we are doing right now to the earth is going to affect everyone on the planet. But the people who are inheriting this earth, the next generation, is getting the tools that they need to help build a greener world at school.

WRSE: What kinds of things are the local schools doing to help students get those tools?

MK: At the Lyndon School in West Roxbury, students are learning about the weather, the ecosystem, and changes in the environment. They not only learn about what is happening; they also apply it with their recycling program for plastic, paper, cardboard and glass.

The Ohrenberger School in West Roxbury has also been trying to do their part in the fight against global climate change. They had a “Green It Up Day” on May 8. The Ohrenberger’s events like this really change the way that the next generation is thinking about global climate change. It’s getting them excited; it’s this kind of excitement that will inspire more change to happen to help our environment.

WRSE: What about at your school, Boston Latin School?

MK: It’s not just grade schools that are teaching their students about global climate change. Youth Climate Action Network (Youth CAN) is making a change in Boston Latin School. In Youth CAN we are learning how to be leaders in the change; students like Rebecca Park (a sophomore at Boston Latin School) are definite leaders who help inspire other students to take action as well. They so far have raised thousands to pay for a green roof that will be equipped with outdoor classrooms, a greenhouse that will provide food for the cafeteria, solar panels, and the tools that will help not just Boston Latin School students learn about the environment with their plan to have a summer program on the roof. The roof is designed by Studio G Architects and is expected to be ready by 2011. Boston Latin will use the green roof to teach students about the environment, and the roof will also provide a green environment in the middle of the city as well as produce energy using the solar panels.

WRSE: Any final thoughts about what more schools and students can and should be doing to help us move into a greener future?

MK: I think that if single-stream recycling was in all schools that would make a huge difference, because if you teach children from a young age to care about the environment, then that’s something they’ll keep with them their entire lives. Schools have a chance to help the next generation, and it’s their job to do something about it. I’m happy to have an opportunity to learn about global climate change because it’s becoming a big part of today’s society. Everyone should be aware, and we should all do our part to help.

Celebrate Earth Day 2010 Locally

By Rickie Harvey
As published in The West Roxbury Transcript
Thursday, April 15, 2010

Ever since its inception in 1970, Earth Day has provided an opportunity to remind ourselves that our environment is precious and should be treated with respect. Whether you choose to help plant some trees or simply eschew use of plastic bags on Thursday, April 22, WRSE urges you to take some action that benefits our Earth. Here are a few ways you can mark the day in West Roxbury and Roslindale, if the spirit moves you.

Reusable bags at half-price: WRSE asked several local merchants to mark Earth Day by selling their reusable bags for 50 cents on April 22, and Roche Bros., True Value Hardware (1871 Centre St.), Macy’s Liquors and the Centre Street CVS all agreed. It is crucial to our environment that we stop using plastic bags — which are petroleum-based and sit in our landfills for ages — so try to remember to take bags with you when you shop. These local businesses are helping make that easy by selling their sturdy, eco-friendly bags at half-price on Earth Day. Get a supply and leave them in the trunk of your car so you can’t forget to take them along.

Boston Shines Cleanup Days with WRSE: This eighth annual neighborhood cleanup takes place citywide, and this year WRSE is putting together a team to honor Earth Day and help beautify West Roxbury. Join us on Centre Street on Friday, April 23, from 9 a.m.-noon. We plan to have a special “green” assignment for our crew, and we will be handing out free WRSE T-shirts. Confirm our meeting place before you come out next Friday by checking the details on our website, www.westroxburysavesenergy.org.

Boston Shines Cleanup Days in Roslindale: On Saturday, April 24, the Roslindale Wetlands Task Force is sponsoring a spring wetlands cleanup from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The group will be assembling at the Hazelmere Street entry, and it is recommended you bring work gloves and wear work boots as well as clothing that fully cover your arms and legs.

“Meet the Farmer” Earth Day celebration dinner, West on Centre Restaurant, April 21: The farmer who oversees the Food Project in Lincoln will be present for this special evening, which starts at 6:30 p.m. and takes place on the eve of Earth Day. Farmer Michael will discuss the Food Project’s CSA and give helpful hints on urban farming. West will offer a local, sustainable menu, and Executive Chef Max Peterson will share details about where West buys its food and how we all can be more aware of our food’s origins. Wines from the Rhode Island vineyard Green Vale, which is owned by a South End resident, will be featured, and the menu will also include local honey, local cheese and Fair Trade chocolate. A portion of the $45 ticket price will be donated to the Food Project.

Allandale Woods Urban Wild, Roslindale: Boston’s Urban Wilds Initiative hosts this Earth Day celebration on April 22, which starts with a free Nature and Wildflower Walk from 1-2:30 p.m. Participants should meet at the trailhead located at the rear of the parking lot at Annunciation Church, VFW Parkway at Centre Street, Roslindale. The activities continue from 2:30-4 p.m. the same day with a volunteer planting at the Vincent Road trailhead, located at the southern end of Allandale Woods. Woodland restoration activities will include invasive plant removal and planting of native flowering understory trees. Ample parking for this portion of the celebration is available at Vincent and Morey roads, West Roxbury. The city encourages volunteers of all ages, especially area residents, to join in these Earth Day festivities.

All of the above are great ways to participate in honoring and protecting our environment on Earth Day, but WRSE reminds you that every day can be Earth Day by recycling and reusing — and by saving energy and saving money.

ReadBoston Goes Green for Literacy

By Theresa Lynn
As published in The West Roxbury Transcript
Thursday, March 18, 2010

Linking literacy and the environment is the fundamental concept behind a ReadBoston initiative implemented two years ago in a number of preschool, Boston Public School and after-school programs.

Based on strong research showing that environmentally based education curricula can dramatically improve student learning, including higher standardized test scores, ReadBoston sought to increase literacy skills, to develop children’s knowledge of the environment and their capacity and commitment to preserving it.

The goal of ReadBoston, a nonprofit children’s literacy program founded by Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, is to have all children in Boston reading at grade level by the end of third grade, a critical point for students. This is when they move from learning to read to reading to learn.

Children have a strong natural interest in environmental topics, from animals to the outdoors to the planets. When students read, write and speak about subjects that appeal to them, they are more likely to make an effort to strengthen these important skills. And to do well on standardized tests, including MCAS, students need to have had a lot of exposure to unusual words and subject matters, which helps to increase their overall knowledge and vocabulary.

In West Roxbury, ReadBoston implemented this environmental-literacy initiative at the Joyce Kilmer K-8 School. Each Lower School classroom at the Kilmer received a collection of new, environmentally themed books and magazines. Titles, which vary dramatically, are linked to the science standards of the Boston Public Schools. ReadBoston distributed more than 100 books, including the beloved “The Lorax” by Dr. Seuss; “10 Things I Can Do to Help My World” by Melanie Walsh; and “A Grand Old Tree” by local author Mary Newell DePalma. Students were required to take the books home and read them with their parents, with the goal of reading at least 20 minutes per day at least four times per week.

Another key component of the program is engaging children in activities that go beyond book learning. In a kindergarten classroom at the Kilmer, we conducted an experiment with the students in which they saved their snack trash — mostly paper plates and cups — in a bin for one week. Each student was asked to make a prediction about the size of the end-of-week trash pile. Linking the experiment to a wonderful book by Chris Van Allsburg, “Just a Dream,” we then returned to the classroom, where — spurred on by the desire to reduce the trash pile — we decorated special individual snack plates with the children so that these could be used instead of paper goods. Another activity involved creating “binoculars” out of recycled toilet-tissue holders and then, armed with a checklist of items to find, heading outside to locate birds, flowers, worms, rocks and more.

The theme of the environment was continued in the summer months in West Roxbury with a dedicated week during ReadBoston’s Summer Storymobile program in which children at the Roche Community Center enjoyed a presentation by Save that Stuff, a recycling company, and when a volunteer from the MSPCA visited the children at Willow Path Childcare Center. Future plans to expand the program include partnering with West Roxbury Saves Energy to bring in local “green” experts to talk to children.

ReadBoston is very encouraged by the early results of the environmental-literacy program. Children are reading more; in fact, at one school, reading rates improved a remarkable 100 percent. Teachers are very happy with the initiative and with the additional resources it brings to the classrooms and also report that the concepts and books are especially appealing to boys and those termed “reluctant” readers. The ReadBoston environmental-literacy program is funded through private donations, and we hope to attract additional donors so that we are able to serve more children and classrooms, including more of those in West Roxbury.

This monthly feature is provided by West Roxbury Saves Energy, a community-based organization committed to spreading the word that individuals can easily make positive choices that save money as well as the environment. For more information about WRSE, visit www.westroxburysavesenergy.org.

Theresa Lynn is the executive director of ReadBoston.

West Roxbury Teachers and Students on a Green Mission

By Gretchen O'Neill
As published in The West Roxbury Transcript
Thursday, February 25, 2010

In their classrooms at Boston Public Schools’ West Roxbury Education Complex, Mary Grady and Paige Zinzella are on a mission: to raise the awareness of their students about the importance of recycling and conservation of natural resources. And the kids are into it in a big way.

“We watched ‘The Story of Stuff’ [www.storyofstuff.com],” said Grady, who teaches world history and literature at Brook Farm Business & Service Career Academy, one of four small high schools in the former West Roxbury High School building.

“Did you know that 99 percent of the stuff we buy is in a landfill within six months?” Grady has asked her students.

Her students are now drinking more water from reusable water bottles, and two are petitioning to bring a paper recycling Dumpster back to the school. Grady also plans to start a “green” pen pals exchange with students in China as a forum for her classes to compare U.S. and Chinese policies around climate change, water usage, and who should pay for environmental cleanup and new green-energy technology.

Upstairs in Parkway Academy of Technology and Health, Zinzella and her students are also focusing on recycling and the environment.

“The school doesn’t have recycling bins, but teachers in all the [WREC] schools are really committed to recycling and take home as much paper and other recyclables as they can carry,” she said. “It should be easier.” She is hoping to do a fundraiser with her students to buy recycle bins for every classroom so the kids will take ownership of school-based recycling.

Paige, who teaches forensics, biotech, health professions and biology, has also developed a new conservation elective — the first at PATH — that will launch this month. The curriculum will cover water, air and land pollution, conservation of natural resources, and development of renewable resources. By raising awareness of these issues, she hopes her students will make “green” habits part of their lifestyle.

Both these high-energy, young teachers agree that the challenges are many, from lack of time and financial resources to provisions of the Boston Public Schools custodians’ contract. Both wish they could do more. But even if they can’t change the world, they are determined to lead the way toward greener practices at WREC — and to inspire and empower their students to be part of the solution to the challenges of environmental protection.

The Benefits of Reusing Are Written in Stone and Available in West Roxbury

By Karen Sauer
As published in The West Roxbury Transcript
Thursday, January 21, 2010

The benefits of reusing things go way back.
My daughter gave me a wonderful book called “The Rosetta Stone and the Rebirth of Ancient Egypt,” by John Ray. According to Ray, “The Rosetta Stone lay for centuries in the ruins of its temple ... At some point, what remained of it was reused as building material.”
How fortunate we are that the Rosetta Stone was eventually reused instead of being buried, destroyed or recycled into gravel!
While West Roxbury Saves Energy advocates strongly for recycling, we recognize that recycling requires energy to collect, process and use the old materials to create new products. On the other hand, no extra energy is required in reusing a product.
If you would like to save energy — and money — by reusing things, you need not go farther than Centre Street, where you will find places to get items repaired, to purchase used items, and to donate or even sell things you are not using anymore.
We all know the saying “as comfortable as an old pair of shoes.” Do you find that your shoes are most comfortable right before they start to fall apart? Their lives can be extended at General Shoe and Luggage Repair at 2043 Centre St., which is owned by Lamech Sebanakitta, who repairs and cleans shoes, briefcases, belts and other leather items.
Instead of throwing out a lamp or small appliance that no longer works properly, consider a trip to Fix Masters at 1751 Centre St., where Joseph Nikulin specializes in repairing these items. He restores antique lamps and also carries a selection of used lamps and small appliances at bargain prices.
When Boomerangs opened at 1870 Centre St. last year, my daughter said, “Finally we have a hip store in West Roxbury!” It’s a fun place to shop for used clothing, housewares, furniture and what-have-you. Prices are low, and proceeds benefit the AIDS Action Committee. If you donate items to Boomerangs, you can take a tax deduction equal to their resale value. It can be difficult to estimate the value of items you are donating, but if you take a look around the store, you’ll get a good idea of resale value.
Just across the street from Boomerangs, at 1879 Centre, is Just As Nice. Owners Luci McPherson and Lisa Rosenberg accept on consignment stylish clothing and accessories no more than 3 years old. And attention ladies of a certain age — there is an entire rack of gently worn Chico’s fashions!
Like to read? Pazzo Books at 1898 Centre St. moved from Roslindale Village to West Roxbury in 2008. Brothers Tom and Brian Nealon sell used, rare and out-of-print books. They also buy books for cash (approximately 25 percent of the book’s resale value). But if you were a real book lover, you’d do better to take a store credit (40 percent of resale value) and browse among their 20,000 titles.
You’ll find the charmingly neo-retro Seek Books at 1747 Centre St. Owner Brad Kinne likes to keep used books circulating, and he offers an eclectic mix of science fiction, fantasy (hey, “Twilight fans,” he has 300 vampire books!), poetry, philosophy, graphic novels and more. Wear an interesting hat on “Hatterday” (a monthly event) and get a 10 percent discount.
All these businesses are conveniently located right on Centre Street. So, dear readers, do yourselves and the environment a favor and think about walking to them! However you get there, shopping locally is good for our community and saves money and energy.
Because the ancients reused the Rosetta Stone, future generations were able to unlock the secrets of a long-gone civilization. Let’s get in the habit of reusing and see how our community benefits!

Go Green This Holiday Season and Save Money

By Rickie Harvey
As published in The West Roxbury Transcript
Thursday, December 3, 2009

During the holidays, many of our activities might not seem to have anything to do with saving energy and saving money, but as you think about your holiday traditions, here are some tips for making them more “green,” many of which will help your pocketbook as well.
Christmas lights: Switching your current bulbs to strands of light-emitting diodes allows you to enjoy the season and be energy efficient at the same time. Many households are making the change because LEDs use 90 percent less electricity and last up to 10 times longer. They are safer because they do not get hot, and an added benefit is that, unlike traditional bulbs, if one burns out, the rest of the strand still works.
LEDs are now more affordable than ever and are easy to find; in West Roxbury you can purchase LED strands at Atlas True Value, Walgreens, CVS and Home Depot. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes as well as in vivid colors that don’t fade over time. But don’t throw your old bulbs in the trash! Recycle them before February 2010 at www.holidayleds.com and receive a coupon for 15 percent off new lights.
Gifts: For starters, remember that when you buy items that come in lots of packaging, you are paying for all that cardboard or plastic wrap, as well as the creating, shipping and disposing of it — all of which also require energy and harm the environment. Consider purchasing gifts without packaging: for example, a service or tickets to a concert or movie. Give baked goods, a plant or a tree. You can also share the gift of yourself, with the promise of babysitting, snow shoveling or leaf raking. Green gifts might also be appreciated and can come in the form of carbon offsets for a friend who travels a lot or a ZipCar membership for someone who frequently uses taxis.
Gift wrap: We all know how expensive it is to buy wrapping paper, bows and ribbons for holiday packages. In addition, all this wrap creates waste that mostly ends up in our landfills.
Why not get creative by using more interesting gift wrap this year and save on the cost of wrap? Some easy ideas include reusing old maps, outdated calendar pages, the comics section of a newspaper, crossword puzzles, children’s artwork, magazine pages or attractive junk mail from the recycling bin. You might have cloth items around the house to use as wrap that could become part of the gift, such as bandanas, scarves or never- or little-used dish towels. With a bit more work, you could consider sewing together leftover fabric pieces you might have to make gift-holding purses, soaking labels off glass jars or decorating clay pots (after you put your gift in the pot, use the drainage dish as the lid and tie the two together with reused ribbon or fabric strips). The possibilities are endless, and most won’t cost you a penny. According to the Sierra Club, if every family wrapped just three gifts in one of these ways, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields.
Are all these ideas for gifts and wrapping sounding great, but you feel you don’t have the time to be this creative yourself? One local West Roxbury resident has taken these green concepts and developed a local business that will help you execute the steps. Marianne McLaughlin started All Set Now about a year ago and features gifts that come in reusable containers such as baskets or fabric-covered boxes and uses baby blankets or gift towels instead of tissue paper. Check out her “Green” link at the Web site, www.allsetnow.com. As Marianne says, “It’s mostly about value and not wasting money” on all that gift wrap that just gets thrown away; “it’s about how you spend your money, and the by-product is acting in a way that helps the environment.”
Quick tips: Take your own reusable bags for all holiday shopping. Use a timer for your external lighting decorations — a huge electricity saver. If you like using (or giving) candles during the holidays, consider the soy or beeswax types; typical candles are made from paraffin, which is a petroleum-based product. And finally, use the real stuff (your own or rented) for your holiday party and avoid wasting plastic and paper by buying expensive paper goods that just end up in our landfills.

Winterizing Tips for Your Home

By Rickie Harvey
As published in The West Roxbury Transcript
Thursday, November 19, 2009

As the cold weather moves in, many of us in West Roxbury, particularly those living in older houses, once again try to ignore the frigid drafts we feel when sitting near a window or the way the floor just inside our front doors always feels significantly chillier than elsewhere. We also start to worry about how our utility bills skyrocket over the winter months.

According to the Department of Energy, on average, approximately 43 percent of household energy costs go toward heating (and cooling, if you have AC) our homes. In our older houses and with the New England climate, it is likely that for many of us it is well above 50 percent.

What does this mean for your house? Well, it helps to have an understanding of where your house uses and loses energy. In a two-story house with a basement and attic, you want to keep heat in the occupied areas; this means sealing between the basement and first floor, between the second floor and attic, and at windows and doors. It means taking advantage of the energy you do use.

You can take action on your own to better seal and insulate your home against the cold. If you keep heat from escaping and cold from seeping in, you won’t be expending unneeded energy, and you can watch your energy bills go down. For those who weren’t able to attend our Winterizing Workshop earlier in the month, here are a few of the simple ways we illustrated to help you save energy and save money. You can find a more complete list is at our website, www.westroxburysavesenergy.org.

Chimneys: If you leave your chimney flue open when you don’t have a fire (or smoldering embers), warm air escapes 24 hours a day and the effect is similar to leaving a window wide open in the winter. If the flue is closed but not tightly, warm air still rises through it. Also, when you are using your fireplace, be sure to re-open the flue and to turn down your thermostat so you aren’t doing double duty heating your home.

Windows: Close and latch tightly all windows. Often, if windows are just closed but not locked, they leave a slim opening at the top through which cold air seeps. Close storm windows. If you don’t have storms, King Shade on Centre Street can help you decide what will work best for your home; many options exist. Finally, remove and store window air conditioners and fans in the winter months. If you can’t do this, cover them to minimize leakage.

Doors: If your doors to the outside don’t already have a “sweep” at the bottom, you can install them to eliminate the draft. Sweeps come in wood and metal; just cut them to fit and screw in place. If you don’t like the way these look, you can always just tuck a heavy towel or blanket at the base of your door at night or even make or buy one of the stuffed fabric “snakes” available that act as draft-stoppers when extended along the bottom of the door.

Exterior wall outlets: Outlets and switches that are on exterior walls are sometimes the source of the worst air leakage. You can purchase gaskets designed to fit inside the covers of the outlets and switches to stop such leakage. Remove the switch plate or outlet cover and fit the gasket by pressing it into place. Replace the plate or cover.

Caulking: Caulk cracks around all leaky windows and exterior doors that you never open. If you aren’t sure how to use caulk, check online for “how-to” videos, or ask Al Meranda and his staff at the Atlas True Value hardware store on Centre Street to give you some tips.

Weather stripping: Around movable areas such as windows and doors, you can install weather stripping, which comes in various depths and widths, as well as materials (again, check with Al so you choose the right kind). The general idea is to fill any gaps between the sash and the window jamb.

If you take these steps you will save energy and save money. Happy sealing!

"Businesses Can Go Green to Save Green"

By Rickie Harvey
As published in The West Roxbury Transcript
Thursday, October 22, 2009

West Roxbury Saves Energy presented its first Green Business Forum earlier this month for local business owners. Given the downturn in the economy and the concomitant struggles that small businesses face, it made sense to focus the event on offering information about energy-efficiency programs that help businesses save money.

NSTAR’s program manager, Augustine Pimentel, spoke at the forum about NSTAR’s Small Business Solutions cost-cutting measures. The first step entails a free energy audit to identify energy-saving opportunities. The program can pay up to 70 percent of the total cost of retrofitting qualifying systems. Many of the owners attending the forum were familiar with NSTAR’s Small Business Solutions and some of its details, and the remaining attendees signed up for a free audit that night.

Recycling waste instead of disposing of it offers another excellent means of saving money for small businesses. Adam Mitchell, co-owner of the waste management company Save That Stuff, gave a PowerPoint presentation about the services available to small businesses and how the push toward achieving “zero waste,” or at least drastically reducing waste, is the surest way to save dollars on disposal. Save That Stuff also offers a free audit for businesses, this one to assess your business’s existing waste removal and recycling system — a great way to find out exactly how much money recycling more can save. Several local businesses, including West on Centre Restaurant, as well as the Roxbury Latin School, currently use Save That Stuff’s services for their waste management.

The third speaker of the forum, the chief of Boston’s Office of Environmental and Energy Services, Jim Hunt, focused on the city’s recently conceived initiative called Renew Boston. This emerging program will establish a small-business incentive program using a portion of the $6.5 million in stimulus funds Boston is receiving from the federal government. It will provide the city’s small businesses with financial resources to become more energy efficient while also reducing energy costs. Because the details of this initiative are still being determined, this is a good time to offer suggestions on implementing and focusing the program. As a member of the Renew Boston Advisory Committee, I welcome thoughts and ideas from our business community and residents and will be pleased to serve as a conduit for putting them forward.

The evening concluded with the presentation of the first WRSE Green Business Awards. Eleanor and Joe Greene accepted an award “in recognition of outstanding recycling efforts and on-site organic gardening” for West on Centre Restaurant. As pointed out by WRSE Steering Committee member Gretchen O’Neill during the presentation, WRSE recognized West not just for the business’s own recycling, but also for its strong advocacy of recycling throughout West Roxbury and the generous donation of its services toward this end. And in addition to creating their own herb garden, Joe and Eleanor Greene were also commended for their support of using local produce.

Gary’s Liquors received an award “in recognition of outstanding energy-saving renovations and practices” and, in particular, for being an early adaptor of energy efficiency with an eye toward future generations; Gary Park, owner, was on hand to accept the award.

As at the forum, we encourage business owners to get in touch with WRSE and offer suggestions about how we could be of help in the future and what kinds of programs they would like to see us present going forward. WRSE is pleased to have a dialogue with the local business community started.

"Save $$, Go Green with Free Home Energy Audits"

By Katie D. McDonnell
As published in The West Roxbury Transcript
September 24, 2009

Residents of West Roxbury have a wonderful opportunity to save money and reduce their carbon footprint by taking advantage of free energy audits in their home.

Prompted by my enthusiasm as a member of one of the Low-Carbon Diet groups sponsored by West Roxbury Saves Energy, I signed up for an audit through NSTAR, my electricity provider. (National Grid also offers the service.) I booked the appointment for both units of our two-family home, and was told the dual session could last up to three hours. All that I needed to do to prepare was collect past utility bills and guarantee access to the basement and attic. When I called, the wait was approximately two months; it is now shorter.

Clarke Doody, armed with laptop, portable printer and an undergraduate degree in environmental science, showed up as the auditor for Conservation Services Group (www.csgrp.com), a Westborough-based company that administers the program on behalf of NSTAR and National Grid. He spent the next few hours assessing the energy condition of the two units; feeding raw data into his laptop; and issuing specific reports for each unit’s energy fitness. He checked the gas stoves, heating units, water heaters, insulation and window areas.

I had already taken a number of steps to save money and energy in our home recently. For example, we had been slowly replacing traditional light bulbs with the corkscrew-looking compact fluorescents, or CFLs. Clarke Doody made it easy to finish this changeover by both providing and installing for free new ones to fill the entire rest of the house — a savings of $122! (He also noted that wholesale CFLs could be found at www.efi.org.)

In addition to these proactive steps, the auditor added that I could: purchase a programmable thermostat (available for about $35); purchase an indirect hot-water tank; install a mini-split AC system (referring me to www.mycoolsmart.com for rebate information); use clear caulk to seal the juncture between the windows and the wood surrounds (each silicone tube costs about $3); and install exterior wall cellulose insulation. This last service is offered through CSG, and we decided to schedule the two-day process. In just two years, we will recover the cost of this service in our unit. (The out-of-pocket expense for one unit is approximately a quarter of the cost without the instant rebates.)

A wonderful facet of this audit was the “leave-behind” material. Clarke Doody printed out an audit report specific to each of our two units and noted all of the different choices we could make to increase our efficiency — with cost figures, savings and vendors listed. The report noted items eligible for certain governmental credits/refunds and included names of banks that provide affordable loans for installing new heating systems. Finally, we received educational information that gave clear explanations about ways to save energy and why, so that we could be more informed energy consumers, whether or not we opt for the more expensive upgrades.

For more information, a useful site about programs like this is MassSAVE (www.masssave.com or 866-527-SAVE).

"A Green Gary’s Liquors Means Green Savings"

By Jaclyn Porfilio

As published in The West Roxbury Transcript
August 20, 2009

During the past year, everything has been coming up green at Gary’s Liquors, from the fixtures to the savings in the cash register.

A family-owned store at 655 VFW Parkway, Gary’s has executed a series of cost-effective and energy-efficient renovations that include installing a floor made of recycled tires and tennis balls; converting to LED light sources that use significantly less electricity; and using outside air to cool the beer chest when the temperature drops below 40 degrees.

This new cooling system is Gary’s biggest money-saver because it reduces both electricity and refrigerant needs. The innovative technology cost more up front than traditional refrigeration, but owner Gary Park says it was worth it because it translates into significant savings on electricity bills, and directly using outside air reduces the time that the cooling system needs to run, thus doubling the life expectancy of the equipment. The entire refrigeration system is run by a computer that, among other things, controls temperatures and shows Park how much energy is being saved: “when it comes to money, I absolutely love to see what I’m saving,” he says.

Park added a vestibule at the front of his store to limit heating or cooling outside air; inside the store, ceiling fans circulate air conditioning and heat. The LEDs (or “light-emitting diodes”) contribute to reduced electricity bills because they need only approximately one-quarter of the energy that fluorescents require and do not generate heat for the beer chests to cool.

When renovating his store, Park “took full advantage” of the assistance NSTAR and National Resource Management collaboratively offer: a rebate program that covered about 50 percent of the costs and provided 12 months of free financing of the remaining costs of energy-saving improvements. The organizations calculated that the store’s payback would take about three years to realize, a very reasonable time frame.

Being environmentally conscious is a tradition at Gary’s Liquors, founded in 1942, as they reuse old cardboard boxes; cut up damaged boxes to employ as bottle separators; and in the past even flipped over the register receipt paper so they printed on both sides, cutting their paper usage in half before they went digital.

Gary’s will continue to exemplify green thinking, as Park plans to replace the new deli counter’s light bulbs with LEDs (he is waiting for final safety approval), recycle old steel shelving, and utilize a new “Zamboni” that uses 80 percent less water and a lot less power than the store’s current cleaning method. Because he is continually searching for innovative ways to save energy and money, Park is always open to sharing ideas and tips for even more energy-efficient measures.

Saving Energy Together